Proper Disclosure Of Stigma

"After this, Jesus found him in the temple complex and said to him, 'See you are well.  Do not sin anymore so that something worse doesn't happen to you'" (John 5:14, HCSB, all italics and boldface mine in verses).  
"I think, 'My bed will comfort me, and sleep will ease my misery,' but then you shatter me with dreams and terrify me with visions" (Job 7:13-14, NLT).  
"Why am  I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?..." (Psalm 43:5, NLT).  
"Come quickly, LORD, and answer me, for my depression deepens..." (Psalm 143:7, NLT). 

I'm not speaking of popularized behavioral modification or self-help courses but after the onset of serious mental issues (neurosis and psychosis) that require immediate medical or professional advice and/or care.  Mental health (or wellness) awareness has hit an all-time low in reputation because of assault crime committed by so-called mentally disturbed individuals or people with deep-seated personal defects in personality; therefore all mentally ill persons suffer a stigma from society, in extreme cases being ostracized from employment on the level of being an ex-con in rehab, even of being a danger to society.  It is wise not to openly discuss one's disability because of this danger and this is called proper disclosure--only to one they trust "ought" to know or has a need to know.

We must refrain from ignorant, hasty, or uninformed diagnoses.  Unfortunately, one's own family members may have known the legally diagnosed person in the day (and they can never manage to live it down) and nothing erases the memory of the way they were.  No one likes being "labeled," so they try to avoid it now with young children in elementary school--a positive approach.

The road to recovery can be a long one; various coping remedies and strategies are available though.  Mental wellness management of one's issues is not just executed by avoiding bad habits, taking meds, going to therapy or group, or a work therapy program with incentives, but by developing new therapeutic conduct and wellness practices or habits to replace the bad ones--in other words, "positive mental hygiene." 

Education in wellness management is conducive to sound mental hygiene also.  Mental illness should not be seen as merely behavioral disorders which need behavioral correction, (which is not cured, but only treated and managed!) and it is not just a matter of having "unresolved personal problems," (as if mere personal one-on-one counseling is the key or answer) nor is it a matter of being maladjusted, immature, of having a poor father image, or of poor self-image, and so forth, but some people are actually born with a vulnerability (much like alcoholism) to certain stressors and something traumatic triggers it and the onset begins and needs treatment.   

Mental illness is most likely a bona fide disability, not a sin to overcome.  Sometimes it seems like just the symptoms are being treated and a cure is not even sought like this is the way it's supposed to be. We must not remain complacent to medicate people to the point of becoming emotional zombies too.    

CAVEAT:  "It could happen to you!"  All psychological, cognitive, or mood illnesses have stressors and triggers to bring them on.  Some people may be equally vulnerable but never subject to the same level of stress (this is sometimes called PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, shell shock, or battle fatigue by old nomenclature).

It is a known, accepted scientific fact of research and not just my opinion, that biological factors (including several physical factors like diet, exercise, sleep, body chemistry) and temperament have an effect unless you adhere to free will and that one's nature is not predetermined by God.  We are born with a certain disposition, inclination, or tendency, although we may misuse it and let it take over and overcome us, as it's written: "Sin wants to destroy you, but you don't let it--per Gen. 4:7).  Sin, as well as levels of stress, plays a role in developing emotional/cognitive illness or psychological/mental disabilities to become a special needs person or even a vulnerable adult in an institution.  Thus, biology, DNA or nature (temperament), sin, and stressors (nurture) all play a role and are a factor. But God is in charge of our life AND DESTINY by Providence and in a way, people can become the innocent victim of circumstances. 

But don't get me wrong!  We must not blame nature or nurture (a cop-out) for our behavior that we will be held accountable for and judged by.  We are always responsible for our actions (according to our own conscience and awareness) and when someone pleads innocent because of insanity, he is on flaky and flimsy grounds spiritually--although a complete loss of moral compass is possible, and there may be extenuating circumstances.  God has given all men some sort of moral compass.  But all in all, God is the final Judge and we are to "judge nothing before the time."

We all experience spiritual highs and lows too, even occasional mood swings known as the blues or when one is in a depressed funk--no Christian is meant to walk around on cloud nine all day or to walk in the glow of some experience or existential encounter with God forever. We all come down to earth someday and become oriented to Reality 101, the OJT of real life.  Pop psychology can become a crutch if one becomes overly dependent, when not used in combination with other methodologies, as well as an escape from personal responsibility or a way of pointing the finger and blaming others--the old game of throwing stones at glasshouses. Pop psychology is a tool and aid, not a substitute for balanced living. Anyone can go overboard and off the deep end.  It used to be that everything was someone else's fault a la Freud's diagnosis or psychoanalysis!  (It's all your father's fault!).

We must all grow up spiritually to a mature mind in Christ and learn to walk by faith, not sentiment: the proper order is the right knowledge, right thinking, right doing, and then the right feeling.  Our orthodoxy (right beliefs) must align with our orthopraxy (right conduct) to be well adjusted and balanced with holistic health.

We are all spiritual works in progress and hopefully, people will be patient with us, God isn't finished with us yet!  God promises to complete the work of forming Christ in us.  We all have different crosses to bear and without a cross, we have no crown!   We only build character through adversity!  (No one is exempt!)  That's why we must be cautious not to judge prematurely and to try to empathize and put ourselves in their shoes, and walk a mile in their moccasins.  Sin is the ultimate cause of all maladies and illnesses directly or indirectly, as the curse on the earth that entered mankind through the original sin of Adam eating the "forbidden fruit," but we all have sinned and must consider our sins when judging another and their humanness or weaknesses.

But for every illness, there is a cure or treatment option and the Divine Healer can use physicians and therapists to do His will--in essence, all humanity is sin-sick, not just the mentally ill, no one can claim innocence.  As Dr. Karl Menninger, MD, wrote: Whatever Became of Sin?  It is regarded as the ultimate killjoy word.  People must realize their responsibility--no sin equals no culpability either. However, the cure may involve more than just repentance!  As Jesus said, "Repent or something worse will happen to you." In my opinion, it could be the judgment of God or even the test of God like Job's case "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold," (cf. Job 23:10).  I won't rule out other contributing factors.

In my opinion, Christians can suffer spiritual PTSD or become bipolar but they play the blame game (a cop-out) and don't want to seek help from professionals who deal with these issues all the time. Many are on an identity moratorium and are confused about life and the ultimate questions we all must answer.  It could be as simple and easy as a medication or to "find oneself" and then "be oneself" in some therapy group where one feels "welcome" to express himself freely and open up, learning to trust without fear of disclosure or restraint,  fault-finding, judging, shame, or blame. This is why they are sometimes called "encounter groups" where they can find their voice.  We all have a desire for "touching base" and having fellowship with friends, similar to social media.

If nothing else, one may feel he finally knows himself and sometimes the picture isn't pretty--reality may dawn on him.  He is meeting the group not to judge but to heal and help each other relate to the group as practice in the real world--realizing they need each other to achieve goals.  This is akin to confession and getting it off one's chest, instead of living in denial.  They found someone that will listen.  Why confession and letting it all hang out in the open, showing vulnerabilities?  The Christian sees one culprit as sin and we must recognize, admit, and repent of it.  The first step to becoming healed is to admit a problem and that you cannot deal with it or heal it yourself.  The psychologist cannot heal himself either--we all need someone like in a buddy system or group setting to have accountability and responsibility--two important contributions to healing.

Being open about one's faults is chicken soup for the soul and very therapeutic in itself, releasing a heavy yoke of shame.  Today we see more celebrities even coming out of the closet and admitting mental health issues. That is why we must not be ashamed of our feelings either because we all are vulnerable just like George Whitefield said upon seeing a man going to the gallows:  "There but for the grace of God, go I." It can be good to feel so bad! If you cannot feel another's pain upon being whipped check out where your heart is.   Letting go of guilt also can be therapeutic!   Paul reiterated, "I am what I am by the grace of God."  So, we are all in the same boat and no one is immune from mental illness or in its forms of depression, given certain events: as they say, "Everyone has a breaking point" or the capacity of a nervous breakdown," all things being equal.

But Jesus promised we can overcome the world by faith, and can also be cheerfully doing it.  The best treatment option is work therapy--staying busy--or a structured, organized, disciplined life with accountability--giving them some dignity and worth as individuals go a long way in boosting morale and spirit.  There is no reason a person diagnosed to be bipolar cannot grow in Christ and become a mature believer, living a productive life giving back to the community if given the opportunity because there is no direct link or correlation between mental illness and spiritual bipolar symptoms which demonstrate unstable spiritual lives not grounded in the faith or sound doctrine.

We have no biblical warrant to stigmatize anyone for seeking support for mental health concerns because God has leveled the playing field and it could happen to anyone; it's just "them," a sort of tribalism.  It takes courage to admit our weaknesses, even to boast of them.   We must not be like Job's miserable comforters either.  Today's Postmodern psychologists deny normalcy (What's normal? has become what's normal for you?) and that there is such a thing but that it's relative to person and situation or culture, and it has been said that "in a mad, mad world, only the mad are sane!"  We need to be cautioned not to "define deviancy down" as sociologists do to deviant behavior when they are really justifying sin--which by any other name should still be called sin--call a spade a spade! Calling sin but shortcomings, mistakes, weaknesses, or habits maximized its hazard or danger to our soul; how can one repent if not admitting sin?

In sum, Jesus meant to raise the bar in loving others, and He inspired the highest ethics but also lived to be the greatest motive for them, but the question still remains, "What is the LCD or lowest common denominator?"  How low must we go before denying moral relativism and realize some people aren't sick but evil (as at the trial of the Nazis at Nuremberg using natural law) and they're just sinners--we must not let insanity be an excuse for evil either, reasons are not excuses!   





LET'S SAY AN AMEN TO THIS!  






ADDENDUM: TALKING TO MY THERAPIST, WE BOTH AGREED, AFTER MY SUGGESTION, THAT TREATMENT SHOULD BEGIN WITH BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND NOT FOCUS TOO MUCH ON DIAGNOSIS SO AS NOT TO STIMAGITZE RIGHT OFF THE BAT BEFORE ANY MEDICATIONS ARE PRESCRIBED ONLY AS A LAST RESORT AND THERAPY FAILS TO AMEND THE INDIVIDUAL AS OPPOSED TO MEDICATING FIRST AS IS THE CUSTOM.  JUST BECAUSE SOME RARE INDIVIDUAL MAY NEED A SEDATIVE TO CALM THEM DOWN, DOESN'T MEAN THIS SHOULD BE POLICY AS TRIAGE.  

GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO BE HEALED ON THEIR OWN!   IN OTHER WORDS, GOOD PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT JUST THE AVOIDANCE OF "BAD" BEHAVIOR BUT THE PRACTICE OF GOOD AND THERAPEUTIC BEHAVIOR AND HABITS ("POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL HYGIENE").   IN SUM, WE SHOULD NOT SEE THE MENTALLY UNHEALTHY AS JUST NEEDING REHAB OR MEDS FOR SYMPTOMS, BUT ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY, EVEN THOUGH A COMPLICATED ONE, AS A WORK IN PROGRESS!  

We all search for purpose, meaning, and dignity and Christ is the answer to all three, but they are extrinsic solely because we are in the image of God.  

Soli Deo Gloria!  (TO GOD ALONE BE THE GORY!)